UC-NRLF 


H859S    *»v.°" 


1 


AN'INDIAN 
GIVER 


W-D»HOWEL1  ,S 


ALVMNVS  BOOK  FVND 


Anlndian  Giver 

A        COMEDY 

By  W.  D.  Howells 


BOSTON  AND    NEW  YORK 

Hougliton,  Mifflin  and 
Company     M  D  c  c  c  c 


COPYRIGHT,  1896,  BY   HARPER  &  BROTHERS 

COPYRIGHT,  1900,  BY  W.  D.  HOWELLS 

ALL   RIGHTS   RESERVED 


An  Indian  Giver 

A  COMEDY 
I 

MRS.     LILLIAN    INGLEHART    AND    MISS 
ROBERTA   LAWRENCE 

Mrs.  Inglehart :  "  My  dear !  I  will 
not  hear  another  word.  He  is  yours ! 
The  idea  of  making  such  a  fuss  about  a 
little  thing  like  the  gift  of  a  young 
man!" 

Miss  Lawrence  :  "  It 's  only  that  I 
was  afraid  you  might  want  him  your 
self,  Mrs.  Inglehart.  It  would  make 
me  unhappy  if  I  thought  you  had  de- 

[3] 


An  Indian  Giver 


prived  yourself  of  a  cousin  you  might 
regret.  They  don't  grow  on  every  bush, 
I  believe." 

Mrs.  Inglehart :  "  Such  as  Jim  don't, 
I'll  admit.  But  I  hope  I  know  the 
duties  of  a  hostess,  and  the  first  of  them 
is  to  get  a  young  lady  visitor  engaged  if 
possible.  You  've  never  seen  Jim,  have 
you?" 

Miss  Lawrence  :  "  Never.  What 's 
he  like  ?  " 

Mrs.  Inglehart :  "  Are  you  very  fond 
of  tall  men?" 

Miss  Lawrence  :  "  Is  he  tall?  " 

Mrs.  Inglehart :  "  Not  so  very.  I 
should  say  he  had  more  breadth  and 
thickness  than  length." 

Miss  Lawrence :  "  Oh,  I  like  them 
broad  and  thick," 

[4] 


An  Indian  Giver 


Mrs.  Inglehart:  "  Do  you?"  She 
speaks  with  a  certain  intonation  of  mis 
giving,  and  then  she  has  the  effect  of 
pulling  herself  together :  "  Do  you  like 
them  brown-complexioned  and  dark- 
eyed?" 

Miss  Lawrence :  "  Is  he  brown-com 
plexioned  and  dark-eyed  ?  " 

Mrs.  Inglehart :  "  He  's  brown-com 
plexioned  and  blue-eyed." 

Miss  Lawrence:  "Oh,  that  sort  of 
contradiction  is  adorable.  The  blue 
eyes  always  have  such  a  funny  look  in 
the  dark  face.  I  shall  like  him,  I  know. 
When  's  he  coming?  " 

Mrs.    Inglehart :      "  Any     moment, 


now." 


Miss  Lawrence  :  "Oh  !  "    She  jumps 
to  her   feet.     Mrs.   Inglehart   remains 

[5] 


An  Indian  Giver 


seated,  but  leans  forward  to  look  in 
through  the  door  at  the  clock  in  the 
hall,  from  the  veranda  where,  with  a 
pretense  of  sewing  in  her  lap,  she  is 
talking  with  her  guest.  To  the  right  of 
this  hall  the  windows  of  a  wide  drawing- 
room  open  to  the  floor,  and  people  come 
and  go  through  them  as  if  they  were 
doors.  From  the  veranda,  which  ex 
tends  around  three  sides  of  the  house, 
broad  steps  descend  to  a  driveway  curv 
ing  in  front  of  it.  Beyond  the  road 
green  lawns,  wept  over  by  drooping 
white  birches,  slope  to  the  red  rocks 
that  keep  Mrs.  Inglehart's  place  from 
the  sea. 

Mrs.  Inglehart :  "  Or  not  moment, 
exactly.  He  promised  to  be  here  by 
the  half  past  four,  but  he  probably  won't 

[6] 


An  Indian  Giver 


come   till  the  five-ten ;    it 's  only  four 


now." 


Miss  Lawrence :  "  Time  enough  to 
prink,  then."  She  sinks  back  into  her 
chair,  provisionally.  "  Is  Mr.  Fairford 
punctilious  about  prinking?" 

Mrs.  Inglehart :  "  I  see  you  would 
dread  that." 

Miss  Lawrence :  "  I  don't  know  that 
I  should.  They  have  to  have  some 
fault." 

Mrs.  Inglehart:  "And  you  think 
that  is  a  fault?" 

Miss  Lawrence  :  "  I  can't  say  that  I 
do.  Do  you?" 

Mrs.  Inglehart^  with  an  air  of  great 
candor  :  "  To  tell  you  the  truth,  I  don't 
believe  Jim  cares  about  women's  dress." 

Miss  Lawrence :  "  Then  he  is  the 
[7] 


An  Indian  Giver 


most  dangerous  kind.  He  '11  not  see 
anything,  but  he  '11  feel  everything.  I 
shall  have  to  dress  at  his  nerves." 

Mrs.  Inglehart :  "  It 's  clear  that 
you  've  made  your  observations,  my 
dear." 

Miss  Lawrence :  "  By  twenty-six, 
one  has." 

Mrs.  Inglehart :  "I  should  never 
have  dreamt  twenty-six." 

Miss  Lawrence  :  "  I  have  n't  dreamt 
it  myself.  In  my  dreams  I  'm  still  six 
teen.  It 's  only  in  my  waking  moments 
that  I  'm  twenty-six." 

Mrs.  Inglehart,  thoughtfully :  "  You 
have  courage." 

Miss  Lawrence  :  "  I  have  conviction. 
It 's  best  to  be  honest  —  unless  the  man 
prefers  lies." 

[8] 


An  Indian  Giver 


Mrs.  Inglehart :  "  Don't  they  all  ?  " 

Miss  Lawrence  :  "  Nearly  all.  But 
if  Mr.  Fairf ord  should  happen  to  be  the 
exception  that  does  n't,  will  you  please 
tell  him  I  owned  to  twenty-six,  but  you 
don't  know  how  much  older  I  really 
am?" 

Mrs.  Inglehart,  with  open  admiration 
and  covert  alarm :  "  You  're  a  strange 
girl!" 

Miss  Lawrence:  "Will  that  scare 
him  ?  Should  you  advise  me  to  be  less 
strange  ?  " 

Mrs.  Inglehart,  with  a  sigh  :  "  No ; 
he  will  like  you  so." 

Miss  Lawrence,  laughing :  "  What 
despair  !  Poor  Mrs.  Inglehart !  You  're 
sorry  already  you  gave  him  to  me ! 
Well,  you  may  have  him  back." 

[9] 


An  Indian  Giver 


Mrs.  Inglehart)  with  noble  constancy : 
"  No,  no ;  you  're  the  very  one  for  him." 

Miss  Lawrence :  "  Then  our  only 
hope  is  that  he  is  n't  the  one  for  me." 

Mrs.  Inglehart :  "  You  think  I  'm 
not  in  earnest.  Well,  then,  the  only 
thing  left  is  to  convince  you  by  prac 
tical"— 

Miss  Lawrence :  "  Demonstration  ? 
I  don't  see  how  it  can  be  done.  You 
can't  pass  this  young  man  along  to 
me  without  consulting  his  inclinations. 
Has  he  very  decided  inclinations  ?  " 

Mrs.  Inglehart :  "  Yes,  he  has.  That 
was  the  trouble,  I  suppose." 

Miss  Lawrence :  "  So  there  was 
trouble."  She  smiles  intelligently. 

Mrs.  Inglehart:  "It  was  a  great 
while  ago.  It  was  before  I  was  —  there 
[10] 


An  Indian  Giver 


was  any  —  Mrs.  Inglehart.  And  there 
would  be  the  same  trouble  again,  if  I 
were  not  —  there  were  not  any  —  Mrs. 
Inglehart.  So  it 's  best  to  have  it  over 
before  it  begins.'' 

Miss  Lawrence :  "I  see  what  you 
mean.  He  's  one  of  those  terrible  crea 
tures  who  know  their  own  minds;  or 
think  they  do ;  and  —  may  I  be  a  little 
critical  of  your  gift  ?  I  know  it  seems 
ungracious ! " 

Mrs.  Inglehart:  "Not  in  the  least. 
People  change  their  wedding-presents, 


even." 


Miss  Lawrence:  "I  shouldn't  wish 
to  change  the  present ;  only  the  name : 
Jim!  If  it  were  only  Jack,  now,  I 
should  know  what  to  do.  The  Jacks 
are  all  alike.  They  smoke,  they  flirt 

en] 


An  Indian  Giver 


desperately,  but  they  are  very  warm 
hearted,  and  conceal  a  great  deal  of 
sentiment  under  the  mask  of  cynicism 
—  like  Thackeray's  men.  They  would 
do  anything  for  you  —  at  least  any  little 
thing  like  jumping  overboard  from  a 
yacht  to  fish  your  hat  up,  or  marrying 
a  girl  that  you  've  found  out  is  in  love 
with  them,  and  you  think  they  ought, 
though  you  're  dying  for  them  yourself. 
You  can  twist  them  round  your  fingers ; 
but  it  must  be  different  with  Jims.  Jim ! 
It  suggests  something  rather  grim ;  per 
haps  it 's  because  it  rhymes  with  it. 
Jim !  I  should  say  one's  little  arts, 
one's  little  airs  and  graces,  would  be 
thrown  away  on  Jim.  He  sounds  like  a 
person  of  convictions :  he  sounds  like 
a  person  of  opinions,  too,  and  very  stiff 
[12] 


An  Indian  Giver 


ones.  I  suspect  that  Jim  is  serious,  and 
he  likes  seriousness  in  women.  He  has 
ideas  of  home  and  a  wife,  and  of  being 
master  in  his  own  house.  All  that  could 
be  easily  taken  out  of  him  if  he  were 
Jack,  of  course ;  but  being  Jim,  it 
could  n't.  He  's  masterful ;  I  feel  that 
he's  masterful.  He  has  all  sorts  of 
preconceived  notions.  He  would  be 
very  domestic,  and  intellectual,  and  he 
would  rather  read  to  you  than  talk  to 
you.  He  would  want  to  respect  you, 
and  if  you  would  n't  let  him,  he  would 
—  make  it  hot  for  you.  Yes,  I  know 
the  type :  adoring,  domineering,  devoted, 
and  utterly  intolerable." 

Mrs.  Inglehart,  who  has  been  leaning 
forward  more  and  more,  and  edging  al 
most  out  of  her  chair,  in  her  intentness : 
[13] 


An  Indian  Giver 


"  You  Ve  met  him  !  You  know  him ! 
You  Ve  been  letting  me  give  myself 
away ! " 

Miss  Lawrence:  "Mr.  Fairford? 
You  ?  I  ?  You  Ve  given  him  away,  but 
not  yourself,  at  least  to  me,  Mrs.  Ingle- 
hart.  I  never  saw  Mr.  Fairford  in  my 
life.  I  never  heard  of  him  till  I  came 
here." 

Mrs.  Inglehart :  "  Then  I  don't  know 
but  it 's  worse,  for  you  Ve  guessed  him. 
How  you  must  dread  the  idea  of  him  !  " 

Miss  Lawrence,  thoughtfully :  "  I 
don't  know.  I  rather  like  the  notion 
of  grappling  with  such  a  —  problem. 
It  would  be  fun  to  get  the  better  of  it." 

Mrs.  Inglehart :  "  And  if  you  got 
the  worse  ?  " 

Miss  Lawrence :  "  I  don't  believe  I 
[14] 


An  Indian  Giver 


should  get  the  worse.  But  now,  really, 
hadn't  I  better  go  and  prink,  Mrs. 
Inglehart?  I  don't  believe  Jim  would 
like  to  find  me  unprepared." 

Mrs.  Inglehart:  "No.  Go  and 
prink." 

Miss  Lawrence,  going  in  through  the 
open  door:  "If  he  should  happen  to 
come  before  I  get  down,  I  know  I  can 
trust  him  with  you,  Mrs.  Inglehart." 
She  vanishes,  with  a  smile  over  her 
shoulder  at  Mrs.  Inglehart,  who  remains 
silent  and  motionless,  apparently  insen 
sible  of  her  withdrawal,  though  she 
keeps  a  mechanical  smile  of  parting  on 
her  face.  Her  mother  enters  from  the 
door  that  Miss  Lawrence  has  passed 
through. 

[15] 


An  Indian  Giver 


II 

MRS.  WENHAM,  MRS.  INGLEHART 

Mrs.  Wenham:  "When  do  you  ex 
pect  James,  Lilly  ?  " 

Mrs.  Inglehart,  with  a  deep  sigh : 
"  Oh,  any  time,  now.  He  said  he  would 
be  here  at  half  past  four." 

Mrs.  Wenham :  "  Then  he  '11  be  here 
at  half  past  four." 

Mrs.  Inglehart :  "  Yes,  I  suppose  he 
will,  —  with  his  tiresome  punctuality." 

Mrs.  WenJiam :  "  Tiresome  ?  If 
there  is  one  thing  more  than  another 
that  I  like  in  James  Fairf  ord,  it  is  his 
punctuality.  It 's  something  that  I  can 
thoroughly  sympathize  with  him  in.  If 
it  had  not  been  for  my  habits  of  punctu- 
[16] 


An  Indian  Giver 


ality,  where  would  you  have   been  at 
this  moment,  Lillian  ?  " 

Mrs.  Inglehart :  "  Perhaps  not  born. 
But  now  don't  preach,  mother.  Advise. 
You  '11  like  it  almost  as  well." 

Mrs.  Wenham^  looking  doubtful,  but 
as  if  assenting  for  argument's  sake: 
"Well?" 

Mrs.  Inglehart:  "What  do  you 
think  of  Miss  Lawrence  ?  " 

Mrs.  Wenham :  "  What  do  you  mean 
by  thinking  ?  If  you  Ve  been  behaving 
foolishly  in  any  way,  and  want  me  to 
help  you  out  of  it  by  blaming  Miss 
Lawrence  "  — 

Mrs.  Inglehart:  "Blame?  Who's 
talking  of  blame  ?  I  simply  wish  to 
know  if  you  don't  think  she  's  something 
of  a  cat." 

[17] 


An  Indian  Giver 


Mrs.  Wenham  :  "  Cat  ?    How,  cat  ?  " 

Mrs.  Inglehart :  "I  mean  very  purr 
ing,  and  sly,  and  velvety." 

Mrs.  Wenham :  "  No,  not  at  all. " 

Mrs.  Inglehart:  "Well,  then,  very 
sharp  and  clawy." 

Mrs.  Wenham :  "  What  have  you 
been  doing,  Lillian  ?  " 

Mrs.  Inglehart :  "  Nothing.  I  've 
been  undoing.  How  do  you  think  she 
and  Jim  will  like  each  other  ?  " 

Mrs.  Wenham  :  "  What  difference 
how  they  like  each  other  ?  " 

Mrs.  Inglehart :  "  One  does  n't  want 
one's  guests  to  be  at  sword's  points." 

Mrs.  Wenham :  "  I  don't  know  why 
you  asked  her  when  you  knew  he  was 
coming." 

Mrs.  Inglehart :  "  I  'm  sure  they  11 
[18] 


An  Indian  Giver 


like  each  other.  He  '11  respect  her.  I 
respect  her  myself.  She  has  a  great 
deal  of  character,  and  all  that;  but  I 
think  there 's  a  vein  of  coarseness  in 
her.  Yes,  she  is  coarse.  She  has  a  bold 
way  of  talking  about  men.  It  may  be 
very  modern,  and  the  rest  of  it,  but  I 
don't  like  it,  and  I  don't  think  it 's 


nice." 


Mrs.  Wenham  :  "  What  men  has  she 
been  talking  about  ?  " 

Mrs.  Inglehart :  "  Oh,  —  none." 

Mrs.  Wenham :  "  What  has  she  been 
saying  about  them  ?  " 

Mrs.  Inglehart :  "  Oh,  —  nothing. 
But  girls  seem  to  say  anything,  nowa 
days.  Especially  old  ones!  How  old 
am  I,  mother?  " 

[19] 


An  Indian  Giver 


Mrs.  Weiiham  :  "  You  're  twenty- 
seven.  You  know  that  well  enough." 

Mrs.  Inglehart :  "  And  she 's  twenty- 
six,  and  looks  every  day  of  it."  Vaguely, 
after  a  moment :  "  I  'm  sure  /  don't 
know  how  I  came  to  ask  her  here." 

Mrs.  Wenham :  "  Why  do  you  say 
that,  now  ?  Have  you  been  making  a 
fool  of  yourself,  Lilly?" 

Mrs.  Inglehart :  "  I  won't  be  scolded 
in  my  own  house,  mother ! " 

Mrs.  Wenham:  "Very  well,  if  you 
call  it  scolding."  Mrs.  Wenham  sits 
very  erect  in  her  chair,  and  gathers  all 
her  dignity  about  her ;  Mrs.  Inglehart 
rocks  to  and  fro  in  a  reckless  and  dis 
traught  manner.  "  May  I  ask  a  simple 
question  ?  " 

Mrs.  Inglehart :  "  I  suppose  so." 
[20] 


An  Indian  Giver 

Mrs.  Wenham:  "Are  you  going  to 
accept  James  ?  " 

Mrs.  Inglehart :  "  What  an  idea ! 
No!" 

Mrs.  Wenham :  "  Then,  if  it  is  n't 
scolding,  allow  me  to  say  that  he  will 
have  a  right  to  feel  trifled  with.  Your 
letting  him  come  here,  after  what's 
past,  is  tantamount  to  your  saying  you 
would  marry  him  if  he  asked  you  "  — 

Mrs.  Inglehart :  "  Very  well,  I  '11 
keep  him  from  asking  me,  then.  There 
are  ways  of  staving  men  off." 

Mrs.  Wenham :  "  Not  such  men  as 
James  Langton  Fairford.  You  have  n't 
forgotten  how  he  behaved  when  you 
tried  it  before  —  before  your  marriage." 

Mrs.  Inglehart :  "  That  was  a  great 
[21] 


An  Indian  Giver 


while   ago.     I  considered   him  a  mere 
boy,  and  he  might  have  known  it." 

Mrs.  Wenham :  "  He  was  two  years 
older  than  you." 

Mrs.  Ingl chart :  "  And  how  old  was 
I,  pray  ?  Nineteen  !  A  perfect  chit ! 
That  proves  that  he  was  a  boy.  And 
he  was  very  rude.  If  he  had  been  a 
little  more  —  thoughtful,  and  patient ! 
You  know  how  it  was,  mother.  After 
Jim's  outrageous  conduct,  I  had  no 
alternative  but  to  marry  Mr.  Inglehart ; 
and  I  am  not  going  to  have  it  said,  now, 
after  all  I  've  been  through  on  his  ac 
count,  that  I  was  in  love  with  him  all 
along,  and  married  him  the  minute  I 
decently  could.  I  trust  I  have  too  much 
regard  for  Mr.  Inglehart's  memory  for 
that." 

[22] 


An  Indian  Giver 


Mrs.  Wenham :  "  Then  allow  me  to 
say,  my  dear,  without  scolding,  that  I 
don't  know  what  you  're  after." 

Mrs.  Inglehart :  "  I  'm  not  after  any 
thing,  if  you  prefer  such  a  common  ex 
pression.  It 's  Jim  that 's  after  me ; 
and  I  shall  not  feel  in  the  least  bound 
to  be  overtaken.  I  have  other  plans  for 
him." 

Mrs.  Wenham:  "  Other  plans ?" 

Mrs.  Inglehart :  "  He  may  fancy  Ro 
berta  Lawrence.  I  'm  sure  I  don't  see 
what  men  find  in  her,  all  of  them.  But 
if  it 's  frankness,  as  they  call  it,  I  wish 
them  joy  of  it.  Of  all  the  detestable 
hypocrites  in  this  world  commend  me 
to  a  frank  woman.  Why,  it 's  nothing 
but  mask  upon  mask,  all  the  way 
through !  " 

[23] 


An  Indian  Giver 


Mrs.  Wenham  :  "  Is  this  why  you  are 
so  down  upon  the  poor  girl  ?  " 

Mrs.  Inglehart:  "Down  upon  her? 
Well,  yes ;  it  may  be  hate  to  throw 
such  a  husband  as  Jim  Fairford  in  her 
way.  At  any  rate  I  've  set  my  heart 
upon  making  a  match  between  them. 
That  will  let  me  out  and  it  will  be  such 
fun."  She  expresses  her  exultation  in 
rather  a  lugubrious  note  of  laughter, 
and  tries  to  escape  the  severe  gaze  which 
her  mother  fixes  upon  her. 

Mrs.  Wenham  :  "  Just  one  word, 
Lillian  Inglehart!  Does  Miss  Law 
rence  know  anything  of  this  fine 
scheme  ?  " 

Mrs.  Inglehart:  "No.  That  is,  I 
have  put  it  out  of  my  power  to  accept 
Jim  Fairford  by  telling  Eoberta  Law- 
[24] 


An  Indian  Giver 


rence  she  may  have  him  if  she  can  get 
him.  If  she  does,  or  can,  that  's  the 
end  of  it ;  and  it  ?s  the  end  of  it  any 
way." 

Mrs.  Wenham:  "Well,  Lillian,  if 
you  are  in  earnest  in  what  you  say,  you 
are  certainly  the  greatest  fool  —  But 
perhaps  you  consider  this  scolding?" 

Mrs.  Inglehart :  "  Not  at  all.  I  call 
it  reasoning.  Go  on." 

Mrs.  Wenham:  aOh,  I've  nothing 
more  to  say.  But  if  you  have  really 
told  the  girl  —  if  you  have  put  this  idea 
into  her  head,  you  have  done  a  wrong 
and  wicked  thing,  and  you  '11  have  to 
answer  for  the  consequences.  It  would 
be  no  more  than  you  deserve  if  James 
did  take  a  fancy  to  her,  and  I  hope  he 
will ;  and  if  you  have  a  spark  of  gener- 
[25] 


An  Indian  Giver 


osity  in  your  composition,  you  at  least 
won't  try  to  prejudice  him  against  her." 
Mrs.  Inglehart :  "  You  have  such  a 
low  opinion  of  me,  mother,  that  I  won 
der  you  associate  with  me  at  all.  But 
now  I  'm  going  to  wring  your  bosom  by 
an  act  of  the  most  exemplary  magna 
nimity  you  ever  heard  of.  A  splendid 
idea  has  just  occurred  to  me.  I  'm  go 
ing  to  send  Roberta  down  to  see  Jim 
first  and  receive  him.  She  's  upstairs 
now,  prinking,  and  I  'm  going  straight 
to  my  room,  and  I  'm  going  to  be  so  slow 
getting  ready  that  she  11  have  to  go 
down,  and  she  can  have  him  all  to  her 
self  for  a  first  impression  ;  and  a  girl  of 
twenty-six  knows  how  to  make  hay 
while  the  sun  shines.  Now  what  do 
you  say  ?  " 

[26] 


An  Indian  Giver 


Mrs.  Wenham,  going  in  :  "  Humph !  " 
Mrs.  Inglehart :  "  You  don't  believe 
I '11  do  it?" 

Mrs.  Wenham :  "  I  know  you  won't." 
Mrs.  Inglehart^  calling  after  her: 
"  Well,  I  'm  so  glad  you  approve  of  the 
idea,  mother.  I  only  wish  you  could  see 
how  expressive  your  back  looks,  as  you 
disappear  in  the  distance.  It 's  every 
thing  that 's  appreciative  and  flattering." 
As  Mrs.  Wenham  vanishes  :  "  Well,  I 
don't  care."  In  the  course  of  her  two 
dialogues  a  great  many  sewing  materials 
and  appliances  have  dropped  about  Mrs. 
Inglehart  on  the  floor ;  as  she  now  rises, 
her  scissors  fall  out  of  her  lap,  and  as 
she  stoops  to  pick  them  up  she  is  re 
minded  of  the  other  things.  "  What  a 
bother  !  "  When  she  has  got  them  all 
[27] 


An  Indian  Giver 


in  her  lap  again,  she  turns  to  the  door, 
but  is  arrested  by  the  sound  of  a  quick, 
decided  footfall  on  the  steps  of  the  ve 
randa.  She  looks  round  over  her  shoul 
der,  and  in  this  very  pretty  and  engaging 
attitude  she  meets  the  blue  eyes  flashing 
out  of  the  brown  face  of  James  Fairf  ord. 
He  has  a  robust  hand-bag  in  one  hand 
and  an  umbrella  in  the  other  ;  over  his 
arm  hangs  a  light  overcoat.  He  is 
dressed  in  summer  stuffs,  but  in  no  con 
cession  to  the  negligence  of  summer 
fashion ;  his  shirt  is  white ;  his  firm  legs 
are  cased  in  trousers  that  descend  to  his 
black  shoes ;  his  whole  keeping  is  that 
of  a  man  who  despises  the  appearance 
of  recreation,  and  puts  business  before 
pleasure.  "  James  !  "  Mrs.  Inglehart's 
exclamation  expresses  mingled  pleasure, 
[28] 


An  Indian  Giver 


surprise,  and  dismay.  She  drops  all  the 
things  out  of  her  lap  again.  "  What  are 
you  doing  here  at  this  unearthly  hour  ? 
You  said  you  would  be  here  at  half  past 
four  !  "  She  sinks  back  into  her  chair. 

Ill 

FAIRFORD   AND   MRS.    INGLEHART,    WITH 
MOMENTS    OF   MISS   LAWRENCE 

Fairford :  "It 's  half  past  four  now." 
He  sits  heavily  down  in  one  of  the  ve 
randa  chairs,  plants  his  bag  before  him, 
and  then  pushes  it  away  with  his  foot, 
while  he  mops  his  forehead  with  his  hand 
kerchief. 

Mrs.  Inglehart :  "  Did  you  walk  ?  " 
Fairford :  "  Do  I  seem  to  have  driven  ? 
And  in  what  ?  " 

[29] 


An  Indian  Giver 


Mrs.  Inglehart,  hiding  a  smile  with 
her  hand :  "  I  wonder  how  you  found 
the  way." 

Fairford  :  "  They  told  me  at  the  sta 
tion." 

Mrs.  Inglehart)  gracefully  sinking 
into  a  chair  :  "  Did  they  tell  you  that  if 
it  had  n't  been  for  your  ridiculous  punc 
tuality  you  'd  have  been  met  at  the  train  ? 
Now  you  see  what  comes  of  being  on 
time !  " 

Fairford :  "  I  dare  say  they  would  if 
they  could  have  spared  a  moment  from 
the  celebration  of  your  charms  and  vir 
tues.  You  seem  to  have  cast  your  con 
founded  glamour  over  the  neighborhood, 
as  usual." 

Mrs.  Inglehart :  "  Yes,  it 's  new  to  me. 
It  must  have  been  the  telegraph  girl !  " 
[30] 


An  Indian  Giver 


Fairford :  "  There  was  a  girl,  and 
there  was  a  telegraph.  I  didn't  see  them 
in  combination." 

Mrs.  Inglehart :  "  They  were  one,  all 
the  same.  Yes,  I  may  say  she 's  quite 
an  ardent  admirer." 

Fairford:  "So  am  I,  Lillian." 

Mrs.  Inglehart :  "  Oh  yes.  But  you 
must  n't  say  it.  I  hope  you  were  n't  rude 
to  the  poor  girl  on  that  account  ?  " 

Fairford  :  "  Why  must  n't  I  say  it  ? 
I  've  come  here  to  say  it !  " 

Mrs.  Inglehart,  to  gain  time :  "  But 
you  've  said  it  before  —  and  you  ought 
to  be  a  little  more  diversified  in  your 
remarks." 

Fairford,  gettingtohis  feet :  "  Lillian, 
how  can  you  trifle  with  me  so  ?  Surely 
you  know  what  I  must  understand  — 
[31] 


An  Indian  Giver 


must  hope  —  from  your  allowing  me  to 
come  here  to-day  ?  "  He  starts  toward 
her  and  stumbles  over  his  bag  ;  he  kicks 
the  bag :  Mrs.  Inglehart  laughs.  "  Oh, 
laugh  at  me,  make  a  fool  of  me  !  " 

Mrs.  Inglehart :  "  You  know  you 
don't  approve  of  me,  Jim ;  you  know 
you  don't." 

Fairford  :  "  I  believe  you  can  make 
me  approve  of  you  if  you  choose.  And 
if  you  don't  choose,  I  want  you  any 
way." 

Mrs.  Inglehart :  "  Oh  !  Do  you  think 
that 's  very  logical  ?  " 

Fairford,  bitterly :  "  No,  I  'm  not 
proud  of  it.  As  you  say,  it  is  n't  logi 
cal  ;  it  is  n't  reasonable ;  but  I  always 
wanted  you;  I  wanted  you  long  ago, 
before  you  were  married." 
[32] 


An  Indian  Giver 


Mrs.  Inglehart :  "  Why  do  people  say 
you  don't  know  how  to  flatter  ?  I  'm  sure 
it 's  enough  to  turn  my  poor  head  to  have 
a  man  say  he  is  n't  proud  of  caring  for 
me,  but  he  keeps  on  doing  it  regardless 
of  consequences." 

Fairford :  "  You  know  what  I  mean. 
I  never  pretended  that  you  were  my 
ideal  in  character,  but  "  — 

Mrs.  Inglehart :  "  I  thought  it  was 
customary  to  tell  the  lady  that  she  was 
your  ideal.  That 's  what  they  always 
tell  me  !  " 

Fairford :  "  I  don't  care  what  other 
people  tell  you.  /  tell  you  the  truth  ; 
and  I  tell  you  that  you  are  not  my 
ideal." 

Mrs.  Inglehart :  "  What  am  I,  then, 
if  I  'm  not  your  ideal  ?  " 
[33] 


An  Indian  Giver 


Fairford :  "  You  're  —  you  're  my 
love.  But  you  know  that." 

Mrs.  Inglehart :  "  I  've  heard  you 
say  so.  But  I  'm  not  sure  that  I  know 
it." 

Fairford :  "  Not  sure  !  " 

Mrs.  Inglehart :  "  You  may  not  be 
sure  of  your  own  mind." 

Fairford :  "  This  is  trifling,  Lillian. 
What  do  you  say  to  me  ?  " 

Mrs.  Inglehart :  "  What  can  I  say 
till  I  'm  convinced  you  're  in  earnest  ?  " 

Fairford :  "  And  what  will  convince 
you  ?  It  seems  to  me  that  it 's  proof 
enough  of  my  sincerity  that  I  '111  here 
to  offer  myself  to  you  and  to  ask  you  to 
be  my  wife.  Did  n't  you  know  that  I 
was  coming  to  do  that  ?  What  else  do 
you  expect  ?  Do  you  want  me  to  say 
[34] 


An  Indian  Giver 


that  you  are  my  ideal,  that  you  are 
everything  in  nature  and  character  that 
I  have  dreamed  of,  and  that  I  would  not 
have  you  different  ?  " 

Mrs.  Inglehart :  "  You  might  try  it. 
I  don't  know  what  effect  it  would  have." 

Fairford  :  "  You  wish  me  to  minis 
ter  to  your  vanity,  to  fill  your  head  with 
nonsense.  Well,  I  will  never  do  it !  " 

Mrs.  Inglehart :  "  Then  I  don't  see 
how  it 's  going  to  end.  You  might  at 
least  say  you  believe  I  could  become 
your  ideal." 

Fairford :  "  But  if  I  don't  believe 
you  could,  and  therefore  I  renounce  my 
ideal ;  if  I  throw  it  away,  and  I  tell  you 
that  you,  whatever  you  are,  are  a  thou 
sand  times  dearer  than  anything  I've 
ever  imagined  ?  And  yet  you  might  be 
[35] 


An  Indian  Giver 


all  that  I  've  ever  dreamed  of  in  woman, 
prompt,  energetic,  constant  in  purpose, 
with  a  high  sense  of  duty,  a  devotion  to 
noble  "  — 

Mrs.  Inglehart  :  "  Another  James 
Fairford.  What  egotism  !  Yes,  I 
could  easily  be  all  that,  if  I  wanted  to. 
The  trouble  is  I  could  n't  want  to." 

Fairford :  "I  know  it,  and  I  don't 
ask  it  of  you.  I  ask  you  merely  to  be 
yourself,  —  and  to  be  mine." 

Mrs.  Inglehart :  "  Do  you  think  that 's 
so  little,  that  you  say  merely  ?  Asking 
a  woman  to  be  herself  and  to  be  yours 
is  asking  everything." 

Fairford :  "  Then  don't  be  yourself ; 
don't  be  anything  but  mine." 

Mrs.  Inglehart:  "Now  you  are  be 
ginning  to  talk  sense  "  — 
[36] 


An  Indian  Giver 


Fairford,  starting  toward  her :  "  And 
you  consent  —  you  "  —  A  sound  as 
of  a  lifting  window  above  the  veranda 
roof  is  heard,  and  then,  after  a  mo 
ment,  the  voice  of  Miss  Roberta  Law 
rence. 

Miss  Lawrence :  "  Mrs.  Inglehart ! " 

Mrs.  Inglehart,  in  a  low  key  to  Fair- 
ford  :  "  Oh,  good  gracious,  I  forgot  all 
about  her!  Now  what  am  I  to  do?" 
In  a  high  key  to  Miss  Lawrence: 
"Yes?" 

Miss  Lawrence,  with  a  nervous  laugh : 
"  Oh,  it  is  you.  I  thought,  I  was  n't 
sure  it  was  you  I  heard.  What  time  is 
it,  please?" 

Mrs.  Inglehart :  "  It 's  a  little  after 
four  —  a  quarter  —  twenty  minutes  " — 

Miss  Lawrence  :  "  Then  there 's  time, 
[37] 


An  Indian  Giver 


yet."  There  is  a  sound  of  a  closing 
window. 

Fairford :  "  Why  did  you  say  that, 
Lillian  ?  You  know  it 's  twenty  minutes 
of  five." 

Mrs.  Ingleliart :  "  That  's  a  very 
charming  girl,  Jim  —  a  Miss  Roberta 
Lawrence.  I  want  you  to  meet  her. 
But  perhaps  you  have  met  her  al 
ready  " — 

Fairford:  "No;  but  that  isn't  the 
point.  Why  did  you  say  twenty  min 
utes  ?  I  wish  you  had  n't,  dear !  " 

Mrs.  Inglehart :  "  Well,  it  is  twenty 
minutes  —  and  more  too ;  it  's  twenty 
minutes  of  five.  You  said  so  yourself. 
Now  don't  tease,  but  go  and  prettify. 
That  's  what  she  's  doing  "  -  The 
sound  of  the  lifting  window  is  heard 
[38] 


An  Indian  Giver 


again,  and  then  the  voice  of  Miss  Law 
rence. 

Miss  Laivrence  :  "  Mrs.  Inglehart ! 
Are  you  still  there  ?  " 

Mrs.  Inglehart,  in  a  high  key :  "Yes !  " 
In  a  low  key  to  Fairford :  "  Now  you 
must  go  !  It 's  a  shame  for  you  to  stay 
here  eavesdropping.  And  making  me, 
too  ;  and  you  so  conscientious !  'Sh !  " 

Miss  Lawrence :  "  I  'm  in  something 
of  a  dilemma.  I  don't  know  whether 
it  had  better  be  the  green,  or  the  blue." 

Mrs.  Inglehart :  "  Oh  —  the  blue, 
dear ;  or  no,  the  green  —  blue,  I  mean." 
In  a  low  key  to  Fairford:  "Now  you 
have  spoilt  everything,  and  disgraced 
me  before  my  guest.  I  can  never  for 
give  you ! " 

Fairford :  "  How  have  I  done  that  ? 
[39] 


An  Indian  Giver 


She  has  said  nothing  that  compromises 
either  of  you  " 

Mrs.  Inglehart :  "  You  Ve  let  her 
give  herself  away.  You  know  that  it 's 
for  you  she  's  choosing  between  blue 
and  green/ ' 

Fairford :  "  Bless  my  soul,  how 
should  I  know  such  a  thing  ?  " 

Mrs.  Inglehart :  "  Don't  you  suppose 
I  told  her  you  were  coming  ?  And 
when  she  comes  down  and  finds  you 
here  you  won't  be  capable  of  seeming 
to  have  come  just  that  instant." 

Fairford:  "  If  she  asks  "— 

Mrs.  Inglehart :  "  As  if  she  would 
ask  !  She  is  too  high-spirited,  too  noble- 
minded  to  go  prying  about ;  but  it  will 
kill  her,  all  the  same.  You  don't  know 
how  a  girl  like  Roberta  Lawrence,  so 
[40] 


An  Indian  Giver 


frank  herself,  and  so  unsuspicious,  will 
take  such  a  thing.  Of  course,  if  it 
was  I,  I  could  laugh  it  off ;  but  she  will 
think  that  I  did  it  purposely  ;  she  won't 
show  it,  but  she  will  never  believe  that 
I  was  as  innocent  as  she  was  in  the  mat 
ter." 

Fairford :  "It  seems  to  me  you  're 
not  painting  a  very  frank  and  unsus 
picious  character." 

Mrs.  Inglehart :  "  I  mean  I  should  in 
her  place.  You  know  what  I  mean. 
But  if  you  prefer  to  vex  me  —  She  '11 
be  asking  something  else  in  another 
minute !  " 

Fairford:  "But  what  do  you  want 
me  to  do  ?  " 

Mrs.  Inglehart :  "  You  must  think 
what  I  want  you  to  do.  You  have  got 
[41] 


An  Indian  Giver 


me  into  this  trouble,  by  your  ridicu 
lous  promptness,  and  you  must  get  me 
out." 

Fairford:  "Then  let  me  go  to  my 
room,  and   I  can't   overhear   anything 


more." 


Mrs.  Inglehart :  "  Oh,  you  think  it 's 
so  simple  as  that,  do  you  ?  Wait  a  min 
ute  —  I  have  it !  You  must  go  away  ! 
And  you  must  come  back  in  about  ten 
minutes  or  so,  as  if  you  had  n't  been 
here  at  all.  And  you  must  apologize 
for  being  late  ;  say  you  missed  the 
train,  or  something  like  that,  and  "  — 

Fairford,  sitting  doggedly  down  : 
"  No,  I  can't  do  anything  of  the  kind." 

Mrs.  Inglehart :  "  You  can't  ?  " 

Fairford:  "  Well,  then,  I  won't.    It 
would  be  acting  a  lie." 
[42] 


An  Indian  Giver 


Mrs.  Inglehart :  "  You  accuse  me  of 
wishing  you  to  lie." 

Fairford  :  "  I  don't  think  you  do  it 
knowingly.  But,  Lillian,  you  must 


see"  — 


Mrs.  Inglehart :  "  'Sh !  There,  she 's 
putting  up  her  window  again !  " 

Miss  Lawrence,  from  her  window : 
"  I  Ve  decided  not  to  dress  at  him,  Mrs. 
Inglehart.  I  am  going  to  be  perfectly 
passive,  and  let  fate  take  its  course. 
I  'm  going  to  wear  my  silver-gray." 

Mrs.  Inglehart :  "  Perfect !  "  In  a 
low  tone  to  Fairford,  desperately  :  "  It 's 
too  late  for  you  to  go  away  now.  You 
might  as  well  stay !  " 

Fairford:  "  But  I  don't  understand. 
Why  should  Miss  Lawrence  dress  at 
me  ?  Have  you  dressed  at  me,  Lillian  ? 
[43] 


An  Indian  Giver 


You  look  heavenly  in  that  —  thing 
you  've  got  on  ;  I  don't  know  what 
it  is." 

Mrs.  Inglehart :  "  Oh,  much  pleasure 
your  compliments  give  me,  when  I 
know  what  a  cold,  hollow  heart  they 
come  from  !  I  may  dress  for  you,  but 
you  won't  gratify  me  in  the  smallest 
thing.  Suppose  your  going  away  does 
have  the  appearance  of  deceit?  Is  a 
mere  appearance  so  very  killing,  when 
it 's  for  such  a  good  object  ?  Oh,  Jim ! 
Do  help  me  out!  Think  of  the  poor 
girl's  feelings  if  she  comes  down  and 
finds  you  here !  She  '11  know  you  over 
heard  her.  If  you  really  cared  for 


me" 


Fairford,  rising  with  a  groan,  and 
gathering  his  bag  up  for  going  :  u  And 
[44] 


An  Indian  Giver 


if  I  go  —  if  I  do  this  against  my  reason 
and  conscience,  what  shall  you  do  with 
me  when  I  come  back? " 

Mrs.  Inglehart:  "You  '11  be  so  in 
terested  in  Miss  Lawrence  you  won't 


care." 


Fairford:  "That  won't  do,  Lillian. 
I  shall  want  my  answer  when  I  come 
back.  Will  you  promise  it  ?  " 

Mrs.  Inglehart :  "  It 's  very  mean  of 
you  to  make  conditions !  I  '11  listen  to 
you.  But  I  won't  even  do  that  if  you 
stay.  And  if  you  think  I  'm  asking 
you  to  act  a  lie,  just  think  what  a  lie 
you  've  been  making  me  act." 

Fairford:  "I?     How?" 

Mrs.  Inglehart :  "  By  letting  me  see 
you  before  you  saw  her,  when  I  prom 
ised  mamma  I  would  n't." 
[45] 


An  Indian  Giver 


Fairford :  "  But  why  did  you  prom 
ise  that  ?  What  "  — 

Mrs.  Inglehart :  "  That  has  nothing 
to  do  with  it.  A  promise  is  a  promise, 
and  sacred.  Will  you  go  ?  And  when 
you  come  back,  and  find  Miss  Lawrence 
here,  will  you  ask  after  me  as  if  you 
had  n't  met  me?" 

Fairford :  "  No,  certainly  not.  I  can't 
carry  the  deceit  as  far  as  that." 

Mrs.  Inglehart :  "  Not  to  enable  me 
to  keep  my  promise  ?  Very  well,  then, 
that  shows  that  you  don't  trust  me,  and 
if  you  don't  trust  me,  you  can't  care  for 


me." 


Fairford :  "  I  don't  trust  you  in  the 

least,  and  I  care  all  the  world  for  you. 

For   heaven's  sake,  Lillian,  be  candid 

with  me,  for  once,  and  tell  me  what  all 

[46] 


An  Indian  Giver 


this  coil  is  !  I  know  that  whatever 
you  've  got  in  your  head,  there  's  no 
thing  but  truth  in  your  heart,  and  if  you 
would  only  be  guided  by  that "  — 

Mrs.  Inglehart,  apparently  fascinated 
by  the  idea:  "Well,  I  will.  I'll  tell 
you  all  about  it.  You  see  that  we  were 
talking  about  your  coming,  and  I  said 
to  Eoberta  Lawrence  —  'Sh !  There  's 
her  step !  She  ?s  coming  out  of  her 
room  —  she 's  on  the  stairs  !  Run, 
James,  if  you  love  me !  "  She  pushes 
him  towards  the  veranda  steps,  and 
without  waiting  to  see  him  vanish  round 
the  corner  of  the  house,  she  turns,  and 
flies  through  the  long  window  into  the 
drawing-room,  while  Miss  Lawrence 
emerges  from  the  hallway,  and  Mrs. 
Wenham  advances  from  the  veranda 
[47] 


An  Indian  Giver 


on  the  side  of  the  house  opposite  that 
which  has  just  hidden  Fairford  from 
view. 

IV 

MISS  LAWRENCE  AND  MRS.   WENHAM 

Miss  Lawrence :  "  Mrs.  Inglehart !  " 
To  Mrs.  Wenham :  "  I  thought  Mrs. 
Inglehart  was  here  ! " 

Mrs.  Wenham:  "And  I  thought  I 
heard  talking.  But  I  must  have 
dreamed  it.  I  seem  to  have  dozed  over 
my  book." 

Miss  Lawrence :  "  Perhaps  you  heard 
me  calling  down  to  her.  I  was  consult 
ing  her  about  Mr.  Fairford's  taste  in 
colors.  Is  n't  he  very  late  ?  "  She  looks 
in  at  the  clock  in  the  hall,  and  Mrs. 
Wenham  looks  in  too. 
[48] 


An  Indian  Giver 


Mrs.  WenJiam :  "  Yes ;  it  's  nearly 
five,  and  he  promised  to  be  here  at  half 
past  four.  Something  must  have  de 
tained  him  ;  he  's  usually  so  prompt." 

Miss  Lawrence,  smiling :  "  Yes,  ter 
ribly  prompt,  I  believe.  At  least  that 's 
the  impression  Mrs.  Inglehart  gives  of 
him."  The  ladies  have  seated  them 
selves,  and  Miss  Lawrence,  reclining  in 
her  chair,  indifferently  studies  the  effect 
of  a  ring  on  her  left  hand. 

Mrs.  Wenham,)  looking  at  her  over 
her  glasses :  "  You  've  never  met  my 
nephew,  I  believe  ?  " 

Miss  Lawrence :  "  No ;  and  I  Ve  no 
idea  how  he  '11  like  me.  You  know  it 's 
very  important  he  should  like  me.  Mrs. 
Inglehart  has  given  him  to  me." 

Mrs.  Wenham,  dryly :  "  Yes,  I  have 
[49] 


An  Indian  Giver 


been  scolding  Lillian  for  her  nonsense. 
He  is  not  hers  to  give." 

Miss  Lawrence  :  "  Oh !  To  keep, 
then!" 

Mrs.  Wenham:  "I  am  not  so  sure. 
Miss  Lawrence,  I  know  that  you  are  a 
very  frank  person  "  — 

Miss  Lawrence :  "  Some  people  say 
merely  brutal." 

Mrs.  Wenham :  "  No  matter  !  I  feel 
that  I  can  speak  frankly  with  you. 
Don't  trust  my  daughter !  " 

Miss  Lawrence :  "  This  is  frank." 

Mrs.  Wenham :  "  She  acts  upon  im 
pulses  that  she  regrets.  She  is  in  love 
with  James  Fairford,  I  believe,  and 
I  know  that  he  is  in  love  with  her. 
He  was,  before  she  married  Mr.  Ingle- 
hart,  and  I  think  she  was  with  him; 
[50] 


An  Indian  Giver 


but  the  affair  never  came  to  anything, 
because  —  because —  It  was  Lillian's 
fault  ;  she  could  n't  be  serious  with 
him." 

Miss  Lawrence :  "  And  now  ?  Has 
he  got  over  wanting  her  to  be  serious, 
or  has  she  become  so? " 

Mrs.  WenJiam:  "Lillian  will  never 
be  serious  —  at  least  not  like  other 
people ;  and  that  is  why  I  feel  it  my 
duty  to  be  serious  with  you.  No  one 
knows  Lillian  as  I  do.  If  she  saw  that 
any  one  else  wanted  James,  she  would 
move  heaven  and  earth  to  get  him  her 
self." 

Miss  Lawrence,  laughing:  "  Eeally, 
what  you  say  rather  inclines  me  to  try 
for  him.     I   should   like    to    see    Mrs. 
Inglehart  moving  heaven  and  earth." 
[51] 


An  Indian  Giver 


Mrs.  Wenham :  "  Don't,  my  dear ! 
I  should  simply  leave  the  house.  There 
is  n't  a  thing  she  would  n't  do  i£  she 
saw  you  wanted  him."  Miss  Lawrence 
laughs  more  and  more.  "  I  know  what 
nonsense  she  has  been  talking  to  you, 
and  I  made  her  promise,  just  to  punish 
her,  that  she  would  let  you  meet  him 
first,  and  have  a  chance  to  —  I  mean 
that  she  should  be  made  to  suffer  a  little 
for  her  wicked  folly  "  — 

Miss  Lawrence:  "Through  some 
finesse  of  mine?  Wouldn't  that  be 
rather  too  much  theatre?" 

Mrs.  Wenham :  "  Yes,  I  don't  know 
what  she  would  n't  do  in  her  jealousy ; 
for  she  'd  be  frantically,  blindly,  madly 
jealous  if  she  thought  he  cared  for  you 
the  least  bit." 

[52] 


An  Indian  Giver 


Miss  Lawrence:  "Poor  Mrs.  Ingle- 
hart  !  I  should  like  to  see  her  jealous. 
It  does  n't  seem  in  character.  But  I  'm 
greatly  obliged  to  you  for  securing  me 
the  first  innings.  How  do  you  propose 
to  manage  it?" 

Mrs.  Wenham :  "  That  I  shall  leave 
entirely  to  Lillian.  I  suppose  that  as 
she 's  out  of  the  way,  and  he 's  expected 
momentarily,  she  's  actually  keeping  her 
word,  and  "  — 

Miss  Lawrence :  "  I  'm  sitting  here 
to  intercept  Mr.  Fairford  on  his  way 
into  the  house !  Is  n't  it  rather  cold 
blooded  ?  But  I  don't  mind  !  You  don't 
think  he  could  manage  to  escape  me, 
somehow  ?  " 

Mrs.  Wenham:  "I  shall  be  sitting 
here  too ;  and  I  dare  say  Lillian  has 
[53] 


An  Indian  Giver 


given  directions  where  he  's  to  be  re 
ceived." 

Miss  Lawrence :  "  Heroic  Mrs.  Ingle- 
hart  !  I  begin  to  quake  a  little.  Do 
you  know,  if  I  had  been  she,  I  should 
have  broken  my  word."  After  a  thought 
ful  moment :  "  If  one  were  really  medi 
tating  an  assault  upon  Mr.  Fairford's 
affections,  what  should  you  say  was  his 
weakest  side,  Mrs.  Wenham  ?  " 

Mrs.  Wenham:  "James?"  Proudly: 
"  He  has  no  weak  side." 

Miss  Lawrence :  "  Oh,  I  did  n't  say 
weak,  I  said  weakest.  Where  is  he 
least  strong?" 

Mrs.  Wenham :  "  Except  for  his  in 
conceivable  folly  in  regard  to  Lillian, 
I  should  say  that  James  Fairford  was 
equally  strong  at  all  points.  He  is 
[54] 


An  Indian  Giver 


truth    itself ;     promptitude,     sincerity, 
justice,  honor  "  — 

Miss  Lawrence,  with  a  deep  breath : 
"  He  is  formidable." 

Mrs.  Wenham:  "He  despises  any 
thing  like  double-dealing,  or  prevarica 
tion,  or  even  evasion.  He  will  admire 
you,  Miss  Lawrence." 

Miss  Lawrence :  "  Oh,  thank  you ! 
I  begin  to  have  my  doubts."  Mrs. 
Inglehart  appears  at  one  of  the  long 
veranda  windows,  and  looks  through 
them,  with  her  hands  lifted  to  either 
side  of  the  casement.  "  Oh,  come  out, 
Mrs.  Inglehart ! " 

[55] 


An  Indian  Giver 


MRS.     ESTGLEHART,     MISS    LAWRENCE,    MRS. 
WENHAM 

Mrs.  Inglehart :  "  It 's  very  tempting. 
But  I  can't,  and  I  Ve  got  to  take  my 
mother  away  too,  and  consult  about 
some  little  changes  in  receiving  Mr. 
Fairford.  You  must  keep  him  here 
until  I  come." 

Miss  Lawrence :  "  I  wish  he  were 
here  now.  If  he  could  only  see  you 
there  as  you  're  standing  now !  I  wish 
you  could  see  yourself,  and  you  'd  agree 
with  me  that  there  was  never  anything 
quite  so  graceful  as  that  pose  of  yours." 

Mrs.  Inglehart :  "  You  must  tell  him 
about  it  when  he  does  come ;  that  will 
be  such  a  nice  pose  for  you" 
[56] 


An  Indian  Giver 


Miss  Lawrence,  rising  and  bobbing 
a  courtesy  to  Mrs.  Inglehart  in  acknow 
ledgment  of  her  little  dig:  "Thank 
you,  so  much ! "  To  Mrs.  Wenham, 
who  joins  her  daughter :  "  And  you  're 
actually  going  to  leave  me  alone  with 
Mr.  Fairford ! " 

Mrs.  Wenham :  "  You  '11  be  in  the 
best  of  hands,  my  dear.  Remember 
what  I  told  you." 

Miss  Lawrence :  "  I  shan't  forget 
such  a  charge  as  that ! " 

Mrs.  Inglehart:  "A  conspiracy?" 
She  looks  from  one  to  the  other ;  then 
over  her  shoulder,  as  she  vanishes 
within :  "  Be  sure  to  keep  him ;  tell 
him  he  can't  go  to  his  room  just  yet." 

Miss  Lawrence,  calling  after  her: 
"Oh,  I'll  keep  him."  When  Mrs. 

[57] 


An  Indian  Giver 


Inglehart  and  her  mother  are  out  of 
sight,  she  bows  herself  forward  in  silent 
laughter,  and  when  she  lifts  her  face 
out  of  her  hands  again,  she  confronts 
Fairford,  who  is  stealthily  mounting  the 
veranda  steps,  with  a  manner  the  re 
verse  of  his  earlier  brusqueness  and 
severity.  At  sight  of  him  Miss  Law 
rence  springs  to  her  feet,  and  comes 
gayly  toward  him  with  outstretched 
hand:  "Mr.  Fairf ord ?  Miss  Law 
rence  !  Mrs.  Inglehart  has  commis 
sioned  me  to  welcome  you  in  her  place, 
and  to  keep  you  here,  while  she  and 
Mrs.  Wenham  are  taking  counsel  to 
gether  about  your  room.  Won't  you 
sit  down  till  they  come?  " 
[58] 


An  Indian  Giver 


VI 

FAIRFOKD   AND   MISS   LAWRENCE. 

Fairford,  backing  upon  a  chair,  with 
his  bag  in  his  hand  and  his  overcoat  on 
his  arm  :  "  Thank  you."  He  falls  into 
the  chair  and  stares  helplessly  at  her. 

Miss  Lawrence :  "  Was  your  train 
late,  or  did  you  take  a  later  one  ?  You 
see  the  fame  of  your  promptness  has 
preceded  you,  and  you  were  expected 
at  half  past  four." 

Fairford :  "The  train  wasn't  late; 
I  'm  late  —  I  've  been  walking  "  — 

Miss  Lawrence,  politely  :  "  From  the 
station !  " 

Fairford,  with  a  deep  sigh  of  relief : 
"Yes  —  I  walked — from  the  station, 
yes." 

[59] 


An  Indian  Giver 


Miss  Lawrence :  "  Then  that  ac 
counts  for  it.  And  it  must  take  some 
time  for  the  wayfarer  who  is  n't  person 
ally  conducted  to  find  his  way  round  to 
the  entrance  of  Mrs.  Inglehart's  house. 
A  house  naturally  fronts  before,  but  if 
it  has  the  sea  in  the  rear,  there  's  a 
certain  temptation  to  front  behind,  and 
Mrs.  Inglehart's  house  has  yielded  to  the 
temptation.  Don't  you  think  it's  like 
her  ?  So  full  of  —  unexpectedness !  " 

Fairford :  "  Yes ;  very  singular. 
Very  puzzling  —  if  you've  never  been 
here  before." 

Miss  Lawrence,  keenly :  "  And  is  this 
the  first  time  you  've  been  here  ?  " 

Fairford :  "  I "  —  Desperately :  « I've 
never  been  here  before  to-day." 

Miss    Lawrence:    "Do    you   mean, 
[60] 


An  Indian  Giver 


never  before  to-day,  or  never  to-day  be 
fore?" 

Fairford :  "  I  mean,  never  before 
to-day ;  not  to-day  before." 

Miss  Lawrence:  "Then  there  is  a 
difference !  I  'm  so  glad ;  I  thought 
there  was  n't  when  I  asked."  She  muses 
aloud:  "Let  me  see!  He  has  never 
been  here  before  to-day;  but  he  may 
have  been  here  to-day  before.  Is  that 
sense?  Let  me  try  it  the  other  way! 
He  has  been  here  to-day  before,  but  he 
has  never  been  here  before  to-day." 
Fairford  gazes  uneasily  at  her.  "I 
can't  make  it  out;  but  I'll  ask  Mrs. 
Inglehart  when  she  comes ;  she  '11  know. 
I  '11  put  it  as  a  conundrum  :  If  a  gentle 
man  has  never  been  here  before  to-day, 
and  yet  has  been  here  to-day  before, 
[61] 


An  Indian  Giver 


when  has  the  gentleman  been  here  be 
fore  ? "  Fairford  listens  with  signs  of 
increasing  terror,  which  culminate  in  a 
violent  start  when  she  turns  suddenly 
upon  him :  "  Mr.  Fairford,  I  'm  tempted 
to  make  you  a  confidence  !  Oh  —  ha, 
ha,  ha!  Don't  be  frightened.  It's 
only  something  psychical.  But  I  have 
had  such  a  strange  impression  in  re 
gard  to  you." 

Fairford,  in  alarm :  "  Me  ?  " 
Miss  Lawrence :   "  Yes.     I   wonder 
if  I  may  venture  to  speak  of  it ;  but 
with  your  frankness  —  oh,  all  your  vir 
tues  have  anticipated   you  ;   every  one 
was  here  promptly   at  half  past  four! 
- 1  'm  sure  you  '11  answer  me.     As  you 
came  up  the  veranda  steps,  just  now, 
I  had  that  weird  sense  of  its  all  having 
[62] 


An  Indian  Giver 


happened  before.  You  have  had  it : 
every  one  has ;  but  at  this  instant  it 's 
so  vivid  with  me  that  it  seems  as  if  you 
must  share  it  with  me."  Laughingly  : 
"  Do  you  have  a  been-here-before  feel 
ing  too?" 

Fairford :  "  I  can't  say  —  I  —  May 
I  ask  what  you  mean  ?  " 

Miss  Lawrence :  "  I  don't  wonder 
you  're  surprised.  But  I  'm  so  curious 
to  know  whether  two  persons  could  have 
that  weird  seizure  at  the  same  moment 
in  regard  to  the  same  thing.  Of  course 
it 's  impossible,  and  I  ought  really  to 
beg  your  pardon,  but  as  you  came  up 
the  veranda  steps,  just  now,  it  flashed 
upon  me,  '  He  feels  as  if  he  had  been 
here  before.'  Perhaps  it  was  a  strange 
look  —  Excuse  me ;  I  'm  odiously  per- 
[63] 


An  Indian  Giver 


sonal.  Will  you  please  to  make  a  re 
mark?" 

Fairford :  "  I !     A  remark  ?  " 

Miss  Lawrence :  "  Yes ;  anything  — 
anything  to  turn  the  conversation.  I  Ve 
made  all  the  remarks  up  to  this  point. 
I  see  you  don't  like  psychical  confi 
dences." 

Fairford :  "  Yes  —  I  like  them  very 
much.  But  I  wish  to  say  —  I  ought  to 
tell  you  —  I  don't  know  how  to  "  — 
He  stops  and  stares  at  her. 

Miss  Lawrence,  looking  down  at  her 
dress  on  either  side  of  her,  and  twitch 
ing  it :  "  Is  there  something  on  my 
gown  ?  A  bug  ?  A  caterpillar  ?  No  ?  " 
Laughing:  "A  woman  always  thinks 
something  's  wrong  with  her  dress  when 
people  stare.  But  perhaps  it 's  only 
[64] 


An  Indian  Giver 


the  color  ?  It 's  a  very  peculiar  shade 
of  gray ;  I  Ve  been  told  by  flatterers 
that  I  look  like  a  wraith  in  it,  and  you 
look  —  excuse  me,  really,  Mr.  Fairford  ! 
you  look  as  if  I  did  look  like  a  wraith !  " 

Fairford :  "  Not  at  all,  I  assure  you. 
But  I  —  but  in  regard  to  your  psychical 
experience,  I  wish  —  I  feel  bound  to 
say  "  - 

Miss  Lawrence :  "  Then  you  like 
that  kind  of  thing !  Do  let  me  tell  you 
another  !  It 's  apropos  of  this  gown, 
which  I  wish  you  to  notice  particularly, 
so  that  you  can  corroborate  me  when  I 
tell  Mrs.  Inglehart."  She  rises,  and  puts 
it  in  evidence  by  slowly  turning  in  front 
of  her  chair ;  Fairford  starts  up,  and 
backs  away  in  vague  alarm.  "  Should 
you  have  thought  I  put  it  on  for  you  ?  " 
[65] 


An  Indian  Giver 


Fairford,  gasping :  "  For  me  ?  " 

Miss  Lawrence  :  "No  ?  Did  n't  you 
know  it?  "  She  fixes  him  with  a  pier 
cing  glance,  and  then  sinks  into  her  chair 
again,  laughing,  while  he  remains  stand 
ing,  aghast.  "  It  can't  be  the  first  time 
that  you  've  been  dressed  at  by  a  young 
lady ;  it 's  something  that 's  always  hap 
pening  when  men  are  expected  in  houses 
where  girls  are.  Don't  you  know 
that?" 

Fairford,  with  relief :  "I  suppose  — 
I  dare  say  "  — 

Miss  Lawrence :  "  But,  unless  you 
know,  you  never  could  imagine  the  rest 
of  what  I  'm  going  to  tell  you.  I  've 
just  had  the  most  awful  scare.  A  little 
while  before  you  came,  I  was  up  in 
my  room,  which  looks  out  over  the  roof 
[66] 


An  Indian  Giver 


of  the  veranda  here,  and  I  fell  into  a 
hopeless  doubt  between  blue  and  green. 
Which  should  I  wear  ?  I  could  n't  de 
cide,  and  as  I  had  left  Mrs.  Inglehart 
sitting  here  alone,  I  indulged  myself  in 
a  little  impulse.  I  put  up  my  window, 
and  asked  Mrs.  Inglehart  which  it 
should  be,  and  then  after  I  had  decided, 
I  decided  over  again,  and  put  up  my 
window  to  tell  her  so.  It  was  this  last 
time  that  I  had  my  fright.  I  thought 
—  I  fancied  —  I  dreamed  —  that  I  heard 
another  voice  just  before  I  spoke,  and 
that  this  voice  was  a  man's  voice.  Of 
course  it  was  impossible,  in  the  nature 
of  things,  even  if  it  was  so,  but  it  served, 
for  the  time  being.  As  soon  as  I  could 
I  reasoned  myself  out  of  it.  Mrs.  Ingle 
hart  could  n't  be  so  ungenerous  —  so 
[67] 


An  Indian  Giver 


unkind  —  as  to  let  ine  suppose  she  was 
here  alone,  and  even  if  she  could,  the 
man  would  have  insisted  upon  giving 
uie  some  proof  of  his  presence,  if  he  was 
a  gentleman.  Of  course  if  it  were  the 
groom,  or  the  gardener,  or  some  work 
man  about  the  place,  I  need  n't  care ; 
and  so,  as  I  said,  I  reasoned  myself  out 
of  it.  But  it  was  a  very  pretty  scare 
while  it  lasted,  I  can  assure  you.  I 
really  suppose  it  was  this  that  gave  me 
that  been-here-before  feeling  when  I 
saw  you  coming  up  the  steps.  Ah,  here 
comes  Mrs.  Inglehart,  and  I'm  off 
duty ;  but  please  don't  speak  to  her  of 
it,  will  you  ?  I  wish  to  tell  her  later 
myself.  You  promise  ?  " 

Fairford:  "Yes"  — 

Miss  Lawrence :  "  Oh,  thank  you. 
[68] 


An  Indian  Giver 


I'll  be  back  directly,  Lilly.  I  Ve  kept 
Mr.  Fairford  safely  for  you."  She 
waves  lier  hand  to  Mrs.  Inglehart  as 
she  appears  at  the  parlor  window,  and 
vanishes  through  the  door  into  the  hall. 

VII 

MBS.  INGLEHART  AND  FAIRFORD 

Mrs.  Inglehart,  coming  out  on  the 
veranda:  "What  is  it  you  are  not  to 
tell  me?" 

Fairford :  "  Who  is  that,  Lillian  ?  " 

Mrs.  Inglehart :  "  It 's  Miss  Law 
rence,  of  course.  Don't  you  like  her  ?  " 

Fairford:  "Against  my  reason  and 

conscience,  I  consented  to  go  away  and 

come  back,  in  this  disgraceful  fashion,  to 

spare  your  feelings,  and  hers ;  and  the 

[69] 


An  Indian  Giver 


result  is  that  I  shall  do  neither,  and  that 
I  shall  not  be  able  to  hold  up  my  head." 

Mrs.  IngleTiart :  "  Why,  what  in  the 
world  has  happened?  " 

Fairford:  "  That  is  what  I  can't  tell 
you ;  that 's  what  I  promised  I  would  n't 
tell.  You  can  ask  Miss  Lawrence ;  I 
am  going  away." 

Mrs.  Inglehart :  "  Going  away !  " 

Fairford :  "  I  have  been  placed  in  a 
thoroughly  false  position.  To  oblige 
you,  I  have  consented  to  act  a  falsehood, 
and  I  have  done  it  so  badly  that"  — 

Mrs.  Inglehart :  "  Of  course  you  've 
done  it  badly.  I  expected  that.  But 
what  of  it?  Did  she  get  it  out  of 
you?" 

Fairford :  "  I  must  leave  you  to  learn 
from  Miss  Lawrence  what  has  passed. 
[70] 


An  Indian  Giver 


I  have  given  my  word,  and  I  must  keep 
it.  Good-by !  "  He  bows  coldly,  and 
goes  toward  the  veranda  steps. 

Mrs.  Inglehart^  running  to  intercept 
him :  "  But  you  are  not  actually  going  ! 
You  can't  be  so  insane,  so  wicked  as 
that!" 

Fairford  :  "  You  've  made  it  impos 
sible  for  me  to  stay.  The  truth  must 
come  out,  and  then  you  will  see  why." 

Mrs.  Inglehart :  "  But  no  matter  how 
bad  the  truth  is,  you  '11  only  make  it 
worse  by  going  !  " 

Fairford :  "  I  must  be  judge  of  that. 
Will  you  please  let  me  pass  ?  " 

Mrs.  Inglehart :  "  Do  you  think  this 

is  treating  me  very  nicely  ?    What  shall 

I  say  to  Miss  Lawrence  ?     How  shall  I 

explain?      Oh,   Jim,    dear!     Don't  be 

[71] 


An  Indian  Giver 


boyish !  I  've  no  doubt  that  as  soon  as 
I  know  what  the  trouble  is,  I  can  make 
it  right.  I  might  have  known  she  would 
tangle  you  up,  somehow  ;  but  it  can't  be 
bad  enough  to  drive  you  from  my  house. 
Think  how  it  will  look!" 

Fairford :  "  I  must  leave  appear 
ances  to  you,  hereafter ;  you  can  manage 
them  better." 

Mrs.  Inglehart:  "Is  that  what  she 
said  of  me  ?  " 

Fairford:  "Lillian!" 

Mrs.  IngleJiart :  "I  did  n't  mean 
that,  Jim;  indeed  I  didn't.  But  you 
can't  imagine  how  awkward  it  will  be  for 
me  if  you  go ;  what  a  false  position  it 
will  place  me  in.  Don't  be  selfish ! 
Don't  go.  /  ask  you  to  stay"  She 
looks  at  him  significantly. 
[72] 


An  Indian  Giver 


Fairford :  "  It 's  too  late.  I  'd  have 
given  the  world  to  hear  that  from  you 
a  little  while  ago  ;  but  now  "  —  He 
falters. 

Mrs.  Inglehart :  "  Very  well ;  go, 
then!  /know  what  the  trouble  is.  She 
knew  that  you  had  been  here  before, 
and  she  could  only  have  done  it  by 
eavesdropping." 

Fairford :  "  No,  Lillian  ;  it  was  we 
who  were  eavesdropping." 

Mrs.  Inglehart :  "  Then  it 's  not 
eavesdropping  to  listen  from  a  window, 
but  it  is  from  a  veranda  ?  She  heard 
every  word  we  were  saying  here,  and  her 
calling  down  to  me  was  a  mere  ruse. 
I  might  have  known  it  at  the  time. 
But  of  course,  if  you  think  I  was  ca 
pable  of  eavesdropping  and  she  was  n't, 
[73] 


An  Indian  Giver 


that  settles  the  matter,  and  I  have  no 
more  to  say.  Don't  let  me  keep  you, 
Mr.  Fairford."  She  suddenly  bursts 
into  tears,  and  catching  her  handker 
chief  to  her  face,  flies  through  the  win 
dow  and  vanishes,  at  the  same  moment 
that  Mrs.  Wenham  appears  at  the  hall 
way  door. 

VIII 

MBS.  WENHAM  AND  FAIKFORD 

Mrs.    Wenham,  coming   forward   to 
where  Fairford  remains  standing  motion 
less,    bag    in    hand :     "  Why,    James  ! 
You  've  got  here  at  last.     What  in  the 
world  kept  you  ?    Have  you  just  come  ?  " 
Fairford  :  "  I  'm  just  going." 
Mrs.  Wenham:  "Going?     Without 
seeing  Lillian  ?  " 

[74] 


An  Indian  Giver 


Fairford  :  "  I  have  seen  her,  and  — 
that 's  why  I  'm  going." 

Mrs.  Wenkam :  "  She  is  n't  sending 
you  away !  " 

Fairford :  "  No,  no  !  Not  in  that 
sense  of  the  word.  We  've  quarreled. 
Aunt  Harriet,  I  wish  to  tell  you  " 

Mrs.  Wenham:  "Oh,  you  needn't 
tell  me !  I  know  what  it  is.  It 's  part 
of  that  miserable  nonsense  of  hers 
about  —  But  you  have  n't  seen  Miss 
Lawrence !  " 

Fairford,  in  dull  despair:  "  Yes, 
I  've  seen  Miss  Lawrence." 

Mrs.  Wenham:  "And  Lillian  was 
angry  with  you  on  that  account,  and  in 
her  ridiculous  jealousy  —  Well,  then, 
I  'in  glad  she  's  lost  you,  James." 

Fairford :  "  I  'm  not,  Aunt  Harriet. 
[75] 


An  Indian  Giver 


And  I  'm  afraid  it  is  n't  just  as  you  think 
it  is.  I  must  tell  you  something  —  I 
promised  not  to  tell  Lillian,  but  I  may 
tell  you  "  - 

Mrs.  Wenham :  "  You  may  tell  me 
cm^thing,  James.  Whom  did  you 
promise  ?  " 

Fairford :  "  Miss  Lawrence.  I  came 
at  half  past  four  as  I  promised,  and  I 
found  Lillian  on  the  veranda  here  "  — 

Mrs.  Wenham :  "  Lillian  ?  And 
where  was  Miss  Lawrence  ?  " 

Fairford:  "I  don't  know  —  or  I 
didn't  then;  but  it  seems  somewhere 
overhead  ;  and  presently,  while  we  were 
talking,  she  put  up  her  window,  and  be 
gan  calling  down  to  Lillian,  and  asking 
her  what  she  should  wear.  Lillian 
seemed  to  have  forgotten  about  her  "  — 
[76] 


An  Indian  Giver 


Mrs.  Wenham  :  "  Wretched  child  !  " 

Fairford :  "  And  when  she  remem 
bered,  she  said  she  had  promised  you 
Miss  Lawrence  should  see  me  first,  and 
I  must  go  away,  and  come  back  so  as  to 
give  the  impression  that  I  had  n't  been 
here." 

Mrs.  Wenham :  "  But  you  never  con 
sented  to  such  an  outrageous  imposi 
tion?" 

Fairford :  "  I  did  n't  like  it ;  but  I 
thought  Lillian  was  right  in  thinking 
Miss  Lawrence  would  be  annoyed  if  she 
knew  that  I  had  overheard  her,  and  I 
consented  —  in  violation  of  every  prin 
ciple  of  my  life.  When  I  came  back, 
Miss  Lawrence  was  here." 

Mrs.  Wenham:  "Well?" 

Fairford:  "It  was  useless.  She 
[77] 


An  Indian  Giver 


began  to  let  me  understand  at  once 
that  she  knew  I  had  been  here  already, 
and  —  in  short,  the  game  was  up.  She 
kept  the  whole  thing  in  such  form  that 
I  could  neither  admit  it  nor  deny  it. 
When  Lillian  returned  and  Miss  Law 
rence  left  us,  I  threatened  to  go  away, 
and  she  begged  me  to  stay,  and  after 
we  had  some  hot  words,  she  told  me 
to  go,  and  —  here  I  am.  What  is  it 
all  about,  Aunt  Harriet  ?  Why  should 
she  promise  you  to  let  Miss  Lawrence 
receive  me,  and  why  should  Miss  Law 
rence  wish  to  dress  especially  to  please 
me?" 

Mrs.    Wenham:    "I  will   tell   you, 

James.     But  first  sit  down  and  put  that 

bag  somewhere.     You  're  not  going,  and 

Lillian   never   meant   you   to   go,   any 

[78] 


An  Indian  Giver 


more  than  you  meant  to  leave  her  when 
you  threatened  it.  I  'm  glad  I  know 
just  how  the  case  stands,  and  I  think  I 
can  make  you  see  Lillian's  behavior  in 
the  right  light,  though  I  am  thoroughly 
ashamed  of  it  myself,  and  disgusted 
with  her,  and  I  've  told  her  so.  You 
will  always  have  to  account  for  some 
thing  that  is  wholly  incomprehensible 
in  Lillian,  if  you  expect  to  understand 
her  at  all." 

Fairford,  patiently :  "  Yes,  that  is 
what  I  have  always  tried  to  do." 

Mrs.  WenJiam :  "  Well,  then,  you 
can  easily  imagine  that  when  she  had 
consented  to  your  coming  here  to-day 
on  terms  that  any  one  else  would  feel 
were  the  same  as  accepting  you,  she 
should  feel  the  need  of  putting  it  out  of 
[79] 


An  Indian  Giver 


her  power  to  accept  you  —  or  rather  that 
she  would  have  to  be  in  the  greatest 
danger  of  losing  you  —  before  she  was 
able  to  accept  you." 

Fairford,  making  an  effort :  "  I  think 
I  can  conceive  of  something  like  that. 
What  has  it  to  do  with  Miss  Law 
rence's  trying  to  please  my  taste  in 
dress?" 

Mrs.  Wenham  :  "  Simply  this.  Be 
fore  she  could  realize  your  loss,  Lillian 
had  to  give  you  to  some  one  else." 

Fairford,  after  a  moment's  reflec 
tion  :  "  If  you  wanted  anything,  would 
you  put  it  out  of  your  power,  in  order  to 
realize  your  desire  for  it  ?  " 

Mrs.  Wenham:  "No,  but  Lillian 
would ;  and  I  should  respect  you  a 
great  deal  more  if  you  renounced  her 
[80] 


An  Indian  Giver 


forever,  and  took  a  fancy  to  Miss 
Lawrence.  But  I  hope  you  won't,  for  I 
know  that  Lillian  is  devotedly  fond  of 

you." 

Fairford :  "  I  'm  afraid  there  ?s  no 
danger  of  my  renouncing  her.  Whom 
did  she  give  me  to  ?  " 

Mrs.  Wenham :  "  Oh,  you  poor,  sin 
gle-minded  man  !  To  Miss  Lawrence." 

Fairford :  "  And  did  Miss  Lawrence 
know  it?" 

Mrs.  Wenham  :  "  James,  I  don't  won 
der  Lillian  finds  you  rather  trying  at 
times.  Of  course  she  knew  it !  And  I 
insisted  upon  her  being  allowed  to  meet 
you  first,  and  to  —  to  —  to  "  — 

Fairford:  "What?" 

Mrs.  Wenham :  "  My  dear,  you  are 
enough  to  try  the  patience  of  a  saint. 
[81] 


An  Indian  Giver 


Such  innocence  as  yours  is  criminal !  ' 
At  this  word,  Mrs.  Inglehart  suddenly 
emerges  from  the  drawing-room  window 
upon  the  veranda. 

IX 

MRS.    INGLEHART,   MRS.    WENHAM,   AND 
FAIRFORD 

Mrs.  Inglehart :    "  I  will  not  have 
you  abusing  me  to  James,  mother." 

Mrs.   Wenham  :  "  I  was  not  speak 
ing  of  you ! " 

Mrs.  Inglehart :    "  You  said  crimi 
nal." 

Mrs.  Wenham :  "I  said  James  was 
criminal  —  for  being  so  good." 

Mrs.  Inglehart :    "  Oh !      And  what 
have  you  been  saying  about  me  ?  " 
[82] 


An  Indian  Giver 


Mrs.  Wenham  :  "  I  've  been  explain 
ing  you." 

Mrs.  Inglehart  :  "  Very  well,  then,  I 
won't  be  explained  —  above  all  to  Mr. 
Fairford."  She  sits  down  and  looks  at 
her  mother.  "  I  thought  he  was  going." 

Fairford)  appealingly :  "  You  know 
I  could  n't  go,  Lillian  "  — 

Mrs.  Inglehart,  ignoring  him  :  "  He 
said  he  was  going;  but  perhaps  that 
was  a  man's  way  of  meaning  that  he 
was  n't.  You  never  can  tell  what  they 
mean  from  what  they  say.  Do  you 
know  where  Miss  Lawrence  is,  mother? 
I  wish  to  tell  her  that  Mr.  Fairford  has 
changed  his  mind,  and  is  going  to  stay 
after  all.  She  may  not  like  to  come  to 
dinner  in  that  case ;  or  Mr.  Fairford 
may  not  like  to  meet  her.  They  seem 
[83] 


An  Indian  Giver 


both  to  be  victims  of  the  same  deceit, 
poor  dears.  I  'm  sure  I  don't  know  who 
has  tried  to  deceive  them,  except  for 
their  own  good." 

Fairford:  "I  never  doubted  your 
motive,  Lillian.  I  know  how  generous 
you  are.  I  only  objected  to  the  false 
position  that  I  was  placed  in  with  refer 
ence  to  Miss  Lawrence." 

Mrs.  Inglehart,  always  ignoring  him : 
"  I  hope  you  are  satisfied,  mother,  with 
having  insisted  on  my  letting  Miss  Law 
rence  meet  Mr.  Fairford  first,  instead 
of  receiving  him  myself  as  a  hostess 
should." 

Mrs.  Wenham,  rising  in  virtuous  in 
dignation  :  "  Lillian,  I  will  not  allow 
you  to  be  so  perverse!  I  don't  care 
how  old  you  are.  You  are  acting  like 
[84] 


An  Indian  Giver 


a  naughty  child,  but  I  suppose  it  's 
because  you  're  thoroughly  ashamed  of 
yourself.  I've  told  James  all  about 
your  wicked  folly,  and  if  I  were  he  I 
should  go  away,  and  leave  you  to  get 
out  of  it  as  you  could.  I  wash  my  hands 
of  the  whole  affair."  Mrs.  Wenham 
sweeps  indoors  and  abandons  the  cous 
ins  to  their  own  devices. 


MRS.    INGLEHART   AND   FAIRFORD 

Mrs.  IngleJiart)  after  a  marked  si 
lence,  very  mildly  and  meekly :  "  Well, 
Jim!" 

Fairford:  "Well,Lil!" 

Mrs.  Inglehart :  "  What  do  you 
think  of  me  now  ?  " 

[85] 


An  Indian  Giver 


Fairford :  "I  have  n't  changed  my 
mind ;  but  I  think  I  understand  you  a 
little  better  than  I  did." 

Mrs.  Inglehart :  "And  you  still  blame 
me  ?  Remember  I  don't  know  what  my 
mother  's  been  saying  about  me." 

Fairford:  "Nothing  that  doesn't 
make  you  dearer  to  me.  I  think  she 
was  too  hard  upon  you  for  a  harmless 
joke  like  that." 

Mrs.  Inglehart :  "  Oh,  Jim,  how 
sweet  you  are !  Do  you  really  mean 
it?" 

Fairford:  "I  wish  you  would  let 
me  prove  it.  I  wish  you  could  let  me 
employ  my  life  in  proving  it." 

Mrs.  Inglehart :  "  Oh,  you  know  I 
always  trusted  you.  You  're  truth  it 
self  !  " 

[86] 


An  Indian  Giver 


JFairford :    "  And  I   always  trusted 
you,  though  "  — 

Mrs.  Inglehart :  "  Though  I  'm  not 
truth  itself." 

Fairford :  "  Something  like  that." 
Mrs.  Inglehart :  "  How  delicious  ! 
You  know  I  always  did  think  your  candor 
was  delicious."  She  puts  up  her  hands 
to  the  back  of  her  head,  and  tries  to 
look  round  at  the  top  of  her  chair.  "  I 
seem  to  be  caught "  — 

Fairford :    "  Can  I  help  you  ?  " 
Mrs.  Inglehart :    "  Oh,  no."    But  he 
comes  to  her  and  frees  the  knot  of  her 
hair  from  a  loose  fibre  of  the  cane  which 
has  caught  it.     "  Thank  you  so  much, 
James."     He  does  not  go  away,  and  he 
does  not  relinquish  the  hand  she  had 
put  up  to  help  free  her  hair.     He  sits 
[87] 


An  Indian  Giver 


down  on  the  arm  of  her  chair,  and  scru 
tinizes  her  left-hand  fingers  critically. 

Mrs.  Inglehart :   "  Well  ?  " 

Fairford :  "  I  thought  I  could  n't  be 
mistaken  in  the  size.  May  I  try  it 
on?" 

Mrs.  Inglehart :  "  Why,  if  you  've 
taken  all  the  trouble  to  bring  it  "  — 

Fairford:   "  I  ventured  to  do  it." 

Mrs.  Inglehart ,  looking  fondly  up 
into  his  eyes  while  he  fits  the  ring  on 
her  finger  :  "  It  was  no  great  risk." 

Fairford:  "Does  it  hurt  ?  Is  it  too 
tight?" 

Mrs.  Inglehart :  "  It  is  too  tight,  but 
it  does  n't  —  hurt !  "  A  sound  of  quick 
footfalls  and  rustling  skirts  makes  itself 
heard  within  the  drawing-room.  Mrs. 
Inglehart  jumps  to  her  feet.  "  Oh, 
[88] 


An  Indian  Giver 


good  gracious !  There  's  that  detest 
able  girl !  I  forgot  all  about  her  again ! 
Eun,  Jim !  Or  no,  it  's  too  late  now. 
Stay !  "  The  sound  of  the  quick  foot 
falls  and  the  rustling  skirts  within  grows 
vaguer.  "  Yes,  go  now.  She  's  exe 
cuting  a  little  manoauvre.  She's  seen 
us,  but  she  's  pretending  she  did  n't,  and 
she  's  gone  back  to  give  us  time  before 
she  comes  out  through  the  hall  door. 
That 's  all  right.  Run  along  now,  dear, 
and  leave  me  to  manage  with  her.  I 
don't  think  she  '11  get  anything  out  of 
me  that  I  don't  want  her  to  know.  Why 
don't  you  go,  James  ?  Oh  !  Goose  !  ' 
She  puts  her  arms  round  his  neck,  as  he 
bends  over  her,  and  kisses  him,  and 
then  pushes  him  decisively  away.  As 
he  disappears  round  the  corner  of  the 
[89] 


An  Indian  Giver 


veranda,  she  calls  :  "  Miss  Lawrence  ! 
Eoberta!  Is  that  you?" 

Miss  Lawrence^  within :  "  I  am  look 
ing  for  a  handkerchief  I  left  —  Oh, 
here  it  is !  "  She  appears  at  the  door, 
and  looks  out.  "  I  thought  Mr.  Fair- 
ford  "- 

Mrs.  Ingletiart :  "  He  was  here  a 
moment  ago,  but  he  's  gone  to  his  room 
—  I  suppose  to  his  room.  I  've  been  so 
much  interested  in  your  psychological 
experience,  Eoberta." 

Miss  Lawrence :  "  Then  he  's  told ! 
I  might  have  expected  it." 

Mrs.  Inglehart :  "  You  'd  have  been 
disappointed  if  you  had.  Men  need  n't 
tell  things.  They  Ve  merely  to  say  they 
won't,  and  then  women  are  inspired  with 
the  facts.  I  guessed  what  had  happened 
[90] 


An  Indian  Giver 


as  soon  as  I  saw  the  kind  of  trouble  he 
was  in,  and  I  envied  you  the  opportu 
nity  you  had  of  —  rattling  him.  Do 
tell  me  just  how  you  did  it." 

Miss  Lawrence :  "  Do  you  think  that 
will  be  necessary  ?  " 

Mrs.  Inglehart :  "  No,  I  don't  know 
that  I  do.  And  I  admire  you  for  your 
reticence.  I  supposed  frankness  was 
your  strong  point." 

Miss  Lawrence :  "  Is  n't  that  always 
a  forlorn  hope  with  us  ?  The  pose  of 
utter  despair  ?  The  last  resort  ?  " 

Mrs.  Inglehart :  "  Perhaps  it  is.  I 
was  just  going  to  try  it  with  you.  There 
seems  nothing  else  for  it." 

Miss  Lawrence:  "Ah,  you  pique 
my  curiosity.  What  is  it  you  could  be 
frank  about  ?  I  mean  "  — 

[91]. 


An  Indian  Giver 


Mrs.  Inglehart :  "  I  see  what  you 
mean.  But  you  remember  that  a  little 
while  ago,  here,  I  gave  you  James  Fair- 
ford?" 

Miss  Lawrence  :  "  Yes  ;  and  '  the 
gods  themselves  cannot  resume  their 
gifts.' " 

Mrs.  Inglehart :  "  I  don't  know  about 
the  gods,  but  I  'm  sure  the  goddesses 
could.  My  dear  Koberta,  I  want  him 
back.  I  must  have  him.  Come,  now, 
be  very,  very  nice,  and  let  me  have 
him  again !  Won't  you  ?  I  know  that 
legally,  and  everything  else,  he  belongs 
to  you,  and  I  suppose  that  in  a  court 
of  justice  I  should  n't  have  the  slight 
est  chance.  But  I  throw  myself  on 
your  mercy.  See !  "  She  comes  over 
to  where  the  girl  has  seated  herself, 
[92] 


An  Indian  Giver 


and  drops  on  her  knees  before  her. 
"  Let  me  have  him,  dear  !  I  'd  no 
idea  I  cared  anything  about  him  till 
I  'd  parted  with  him.  Come !  Say  the 
word !  " 

Miss  Lawrence  :  "  And  I,  what 
am  I  to  do  with  the  wealth  of  affection 
that  I  had  prepared  to  lavish  upon 
him?" 

Mrs.  Inglehart :  "  Oh,  give  it  to 
somebody  else !  Jim  won't  mind." 

Miss  Lawrence :  "  Ah,  that 's  just 
what  I  'm  not  so  sure  about !  I  've  an 
idea  that  he  is  madly  devoted  to  me. 
In  fact,  I  can't  give  him  up  till  I  know 
from  his  own  lips  that  he  wishes  to  be 
given  up.  Yes,  he  must  renounce 


me" 


Mrs.  Inglehart :  "  Oh,  but  I  assure 
[93] 


An  Indian  Giver 


you   he   does  n't   care   anything    about 

you"  — 

Miss  Lawrence  :  "  That  I  must  know 
from  himself.  I  insist  upon  his  choos 
ing  between  us! " 

Mrs.  Inglehart)  rising  :  "  Do  you 
really  mean  it  ?  " 

Miss  Lawrence  :  "  Yes ;  I  think  it 
would  be  fun." 

Mrs.  Inglehart,  with  genuine  feeling : 
"  I  can't  say  it 's  my  idea  of  a  joke. 
Well,  then,  it  may  be  very  inhospitable, 
and  all  that,  and  I  wish  it  could  have 
come  about  a  little  more  gracefully,  but 
I  have  to  tell  you  —  Oh,  have  you 
hurt  yourself  ?  "  She  takes  note  of  the 
handkerchief  which  Miss  Lawrence  has 
wrapped  around  her  left  hand ;  the  girl 
puts  the  hand  behind  her.  "  Can't  I 
[94] 


An  Indian  Giver 


give  you  something  ?  Arnica  ?  Pond's 
extract  ?  How  did  you  do  it  ?  Put 
ting  up  the  window  ?  " 

Miss  Lawrence,  in  embarrassment: 
"No,  no"  — 

Mrs.  Inglehart)  dryly :  "  I  'm  very 
sorry.  Those  window-catches  are  awk 
ward  things.  I  've  caught  my  fingers 
when  I  've  been  thinking  of  something 
else." 

Miss  Lawrence :  "  It  was  n't  the 
window-catch,  I  assure  you,  Mrs.  Ingle- 
hart,  and  I  don't  know  how  to  tell 
you  what  it  is,  exactly.  I  thought  it 
would  be  so  simple;  but-  I  ought 
never  to  have  let  you  give  me  Mr.  Fair- 
ford." 

Mrs.   Inglehart :    "  Oh,  don't  mind 
that.     I  've  taken  him  back  again." 
[95] 


An  Indian  Giver 


Miss  Lawrence :  "  Oh,  that  does  n't 
make  it  right  on  my  part.  I  meant  to 
have  told  you  before ;  but  I  could  n't 
get  the  chance ;  and  then  it  seemed  to  get 
more  and  more  complicated,  and  "  — 

Mrs. Inglehart, impatiently :  "  Well?" 

Miss  Lawrence :  "  Well !  "  She  puts 
out  her  left  hand  to  Mrs.  Inglehart,  and 
covers  her  eyes  with  the  handkerchief 
she  has  caught  from  it. 

Mrs.  Inglehart)  clutching  it  wildly: 
"  An  engagement  ring !  " 

Miss  Lawrence  :  "  Yes,  we  were  en 
gaged  last  week,  and  when  you  began 
to  speak  to  me,  and  I  did  n't  know  quite 
how  —  I  had  n't  the  courage  "  — 

Mrs.  Inglehart)  flinging  Miss  Law 
rence's  hand  from  her :  "  Then  it  was 
all  a  trick  from  the  beginning !  And 
[96] 


An  Indian  Giver 


you  let  me  make  a  fool  of  myself  in  that 
way,  and  all  the  time  you  were  engaged ! 
And  you  said  you  never  met  him  be 
fore  "- 

Miss  Lawrence,  in  amaze :  "  How 
could  I  say  such  a  thing  ?  We  Ve 
known  each  other  for  years." 

Mrs.  Inglehart :  "  So  it  appears. 
And  I  don't  know  how  you  could  say 
you  'd  never  seen  him,  but  I  know  you 
did  say  it.  Perhaps  you  'd  like  two  en 
gagement  rings.  You  may  have  mine  "— 
She  tries  to  get  it  off. 

Miss  Lawrence :  "  What  do  you 
mean  ?  What  are  you  doing  ?  Whom 
are  you  talking  about  ?  " 

Mrs.  Inglehart,  still  struggling  vio 
lently  with  the  ring  :  "  James  Fairford. 
You  may  have  both  his  rings  "  — 
[97] 


An  Indian  Giver 


Miss  Lawrence  :  "  James  Fairf ord ! 
I  don't  want  his  rings  —  either  of  them. 
I  'm  engaged  to  Arthur  Wayland !  Do 
you  think  there 's  only  one  man  in  the 
world?" 

Mrs.  Inglehart,  after  a  moment's 
daze :  "  Then  you  —  you  —  I  see  — 
yes  !  Oh,  you  dear !  Oh,  I  'm  so  happy 
for  you!"  She  falls  upon  Miss  Law 
rence's  neck  and  clasps  her  to  her  heart. 
"  Arthur  Wayland  ?  He  's  charming, 
and  he's  a  very  lucky  fellow,  but  he 
deserves  you  if  any  one  does.  Ah,  ha, 
ha !  Oh,  hu,  hu,  hu  !  "  Mrs.  Wenham 
appears  at  one  corner  of  the  veranda, 
and  Fairford  at  the  other,  from  differ 
ent  sides  of  the  house, 
[98] 


An  Indian  Giver 


XI 

MRS.  WENHAM,  FAIBFORD,  MISS   LAWRENCE, 
MRS.    INGLEHART 

Mrs.  Wenham,  sternly :  "  What  is  the 
matter,  Lillian  ?  " 

Mrs.  IngleJiart,  between  tears  and 
laughter  :  "  Nothing,  nothing  !  Ko- 
berta  is  engaged,  and  I  'm  merely  con 
gratulating  her." 

[99] 


Electrotyped  and  printed  by  H.  O.  Houghton  &  Co. 
Cambridge,  Mass>  U.S.  A. 


Plays  and  Poems 

BY    WILLIAM    DEAN    HOWELLS 


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cents. 

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